Sounds like penny pinching to me. With my last employer, I've had plenty of techs approach me on the travel issue. I always was fair and said if the job starts at 8:00 a.m. be at the job site at 8:00 a.m. However, while you are driving to the jobsite and have to drive past the (shop, base, branch, office) by 8:00 a.m. you will be paid travel to your destination. As for the insurance of the van, it will always have insurance whether in service or not it would be in the company's best interest.